Elbow prosthesis

Abstract

An elbow prosthesis for replacing one or more of the articulating surfaces of the elbow joint in a human elbow. An ulna component for being fixedly anchored to the proximal end of the ulna of a human elbow joint is provided with a head member having a curved face portion for replacing the articulating surface of the proximal end of the ulna. A humeral component for being fixedly anchored to the distal end of the humerus of a human elbow joint is provided with a head member having a curved face portion for replacing the articulating surface of the distal end of the humerus.

I claim: 
     
       1. An elbow prosthesis for implanting in a human elbow, said elbow prosthesis comprising: a humeral component means for being fixedly anchored to the distal end of the humerus in a human elbow to replace the articulating surface thereof, said humeral component means including a single head member having a curved face portion for replacing the articulating surface of the distal end of the humerus, said humeral component means including a substantially Y-shaped body member for being fixedly anchored to the distal end of the humerus, said head member of humeral component means including an elongated, substantially cylindrical portion fixedly attached to said body member of said humeral component means for replacing the articulating surface of the distal end of the humerus to articulatingly coact with the articulating surface of the proximal end of the ulna of the human elbow, said cylindrical portions extending across the mouth of said Y-shaped body member of said humeral component means, said head member of said numeral component means including a first flange portion fixedly attached to said first end of said cylindrical portion thereof and including a second flange portion fixedly attached to said second end of said cylindrical portion thereof for restricting lateral movement of said humeral component means when said humeral component means is fixedly anchored to the distal end of the humerus and is articulatingly engaging the articulating surface of the proximal end of the ulna. 
     
     
       2. The elbow prosthesis of claim 1 in which said cylindrical portion of said humeral component means is constructed of plastic for reducing friction and acting as a shock absorber between said humeral component means and the articulating surface of the proximal end of the ulna. 
     
     
       3. An elbow prosthesis for implanting with cement in a human elbow, said elbow prosthesis comprising: (a) an ulna component means for being fixedly anchored to the proximal end of the ulna of a human elbow joint to replace the articulating surface thereof, said ulna component means including a single head member having a curved face portion for replacing the articulating surface of the proximal end of the ulna, said head member being substantially L-shaped and having a substantially flat backside and a substantially flat underside for engaging the proximal end of the ulna, said backside and said underside being joined together at one end to form said substantially L-shape, said backside and said underside of said head member of said ulna component means have a plurality of transverse grooves therein for coacting with bone cement to fixedly anchor said ulna component means to the proximal end of the ulna, said ulna component means including a spike-like body member fixedly attached to said backside of said head member for extending into the proximal end of the ulna, said spike-like body member of said ulna component means has a plurality of transverse and longitudinal grooves therein for coacting with bone cement to fixedly anchor said ulna component means to the proximal end of the ulna, said spike-like body member being substantially triangular in cross-section for preventing rotation of said ulna component means in the proximal end of the ulna and having smoothly rounded edges; and   (b) a humeral component means for being fixedly anchored to the distal end of the humerus of a human elbow joint to replace the articulating surface thereof, said humeral component means including a single head member having a curved face portion for replacing the articulating surface of the distal end of the humerus and for articulatingly coacting with said curved face portion of said ulna component means, said humeral component means including a substantially Y-shaped body member for being fixedly anchored to the distal end of the humerus, said Y-shaped body member of said humeral component means including a substantially spike-like first end for extending into the distal end of the humerus and including a substantially U-shaped second and fixedly attached to said spike-like first end, said head member of said humeral component means including an elongated, substantially cylindrical portion fixedly attached to said body member of said humeral component for replacing the articulating surface of the distal end of the humerus to articulatingly coact with said curved face-portion of said head member of said ulna component means, said cylindrical portion extending across the mouth of said U-shaped end of said body member of said humeral component means, said cylindrical portion of said head member of said numeral component means  including first and second ends, said head member of said humeral component means including a first flange member fixedly attached to said first end of said cylindrical portion thereof and including a second flange portion fixedly attached to said second end of said cylindrical portion thereof for restricting lateral movement of said humeral component means when said humeral component means is fixedly anchored to the distal end of the humerus and is articulatingly engaging said ulna component means, said spike-like first end of said body member of said humeral component means being substantially triangular in cross-section for preventing rotation of said humeral component means in the distal end of the humerous and having smoothly rounded edges, said spike-like first end of said body member of said humeral component means has a plurality of transverse and longitudinal grooves therein for coacting with bone cement to fixedly anchor said humeral component means to the distal end of the humerus.   
     
     
       4. The elbow prosthesis of claim 3 in which said head member of said humeral component means is constructed of plastic for reducing friction and acting as a shock absorber between said humeral component means and said ulna component means; and in which said ulna component means and said body member of said humeral component means are constructed of a biocompatible metal.